Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal is preparing to launch 100 new electric buses (E-buses) to improve the public transport crisis in the city.
In the past year, over 250 city buses had stopped running. At present, buses are missing from more than 10 routes, leaving daily commuters in trouble.
A survey suggests that Bhopal actually needs around 800 buses to meet demand. But instead of increasing, the number of buses is shrinking.
The launch of E-buses may bring some relief, but for now, passengers continue to face hardships.
Phase 1
In such a situation, the Municipal Corporation has announced that 100 new E-buses will start running in the city from the New Year under the PM E-Bus Service (Phase 1).
Two new depots are being built in Sant Hirdaram Nagar (Bairagarh) and Kasturba Nagar and a new operator has been selected.
Phase 2
In Phase 2, 95 more buses will be added, with depots in Arif Nagar and Kolar Road. The operator selection for this phase is still pending.
The issue was also discussed in a recent District Development and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting. Out of 368 buses, only 95 are currently operating.
MP Alok Sharma expressed shock and asked officials the reason why so many buses had been stopped. He stressed that public transport should be strengthened, not reduced. MLA BD Sabnani also supported his concern.
Sharma added that during his time as Mayor, the ‘Mayor Smart Pass’ benefited students, women, senior citizens, employees, and differently-abled people. He suggested reviving the scheme to help commuters again.
Why did buses stop running?
According to information, the operators stopped operating buses due to disputes over ticket collection, penalties and pending court cases.
This has left around 1 lakh people struggling everyday - especially students, women, and the working class.
